A young witch...

Nathalie sneaks out the backdoor, with Alex following closely behind. They creep around the side of the cabin quietly, paying particular attention to avoid the brittle twigs lying on the grass. When they get to the front of the building, Nathalie motions Alex to stop.

There's a peculiar sight in front of them.

A pair of figures in dark robes are hanging wooden icons to the trees in front of the cabin. They are talking in low voices.

The witches! Alex thinks, his blood running cold. Then he remembers what Nathalie had said, that they're just normal people playing make believe games - live action role players in all but name. His momentary scare passes.

"Filthy bitches! " Nathalie grins. "Lets give them a scare! "

And then she sneaks slowly around the trees towards them. Alex, with some reservation, follows her. In the dark he finds Nathalie difficult to see, and she is as quiet as a mouse.... has she done this before?

They get close enough to the figures to see them clearly. The robes they are wearing are loose and long but tied tightly around their slender waists. They are most definitely both girls, Alex notes with a smile, feeling increasingly confident. They are hanging what look like small wooden symbols from the trees.

"Now!" whispers Nathalie.

They both jump out from hiding, shouting as loudly as they can. The result is immediate and delightful - both of the witches leap in the air in fright, one of them letting out a high-pitched cry. They look ridiculous! Alex laughs to himself.

He stops laughing when the nearest of them jumps at him with a ferocious cry, fingers held out like talons. In a split second reaction he punches her in the face and she drops to the floor in a huddle.

"Whoa!" says Nathalie.

Her companion turns and bolts into the darkness of the woods.

They stand there for a moment in the sudden silence, Alex panting slightly.

"We'd better get her inside," Nathalie says finally. "Help me carry her."

The two of them carry the **** witch into the house. She doesn't weigh very much at all. They carry her through the front door and into the deserted front room, where they lay her on the couch.

"Isolde?" Nathalie calls, suddenly concerned. "Emma?"

"I'll have a look," Alex says grimly, and walks through the cabin checking each room in turn. They are all empty.

The back door is still wide open, swinging slightly in the breeze. He shuts it and locks it before returning to Nathalie. She is busy binding the witch's wrists with wire.

"They're not here. And the back door was open."

"Fuck!" Nathalie slams her fist onto the floor. "What are they playing at? They've taken them? This is ****!"

"I thought you said the witches were just playing around?"

"That's all they've done in the past. A few bored kids and rich folk pretending to worship the devil, that's all. Nothing like this."

"Well, what's changed?"

"Let's ask her," Nathalie says grimly, and pulls the witch's hood back.

Alex isn't expecting the witch to be beautiful and he certainly isn't expecting her to be so young. She looks about eighteen, he thinks. She has smooth, white skin with dark pink lips and straight black hair. Even ****, she oozes sexuality.

"Let's wake her up," Nathalie says.